No money for NC parks – DA

WHILE R9 million is spent on maintaining an office for the MEC for Environment and Nature Conservation, there is currently no budget available for maintenance at the Northern Cape’s five provincial parks.

This was pointed out yesterday by the DA’s alternate spokesperson on Environment and Nature Conservation, Melinda Hattingh (MPL), during a sitting of the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature in Kimberley yesterday.

Hattingh added that so serious was this department’s current financial state that there was currently no budget available for any maintenance at the five provincial parks.

“This means that anything that breaks cannot be fixed or replaced. Neither is there sufficient money for equipment and appliances for chalets, audio equipment, laundry equipment, transport vehicles and personnel for facility management.

Hattingh also questioned why no effort had been made to reprioritise funding towards rhino safety.

“This is in spite of the department stating in its strategic plan that it is of the utmost importance that provincial nature reserves are properly protected due to the substantial increase in rhino poaching and the stealing of scarce game.”

The ANC, meanwhile, welcomed the achievements made by the department in areas of waste management, climate change, carbon footprints and wild life conservation, particularly the revival of the “Transformation of the Hunting Industry project”, which addresses the lack of transformation in the hunting industry.

“As part of the transformation of the hunting industry, the department is also embarking on a skills development and professional hunting training for emerging farmers,” ANC provincial secretary Zumani Saul stated.

“The ANC also supports the department’s policy standpoint in aligning with international initiatives aimed at protecting the global environment with particular reference to nuclear proliferation, toxic waste and CO2 levels.